LeBron, Cavs continue home dominance

CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers
are ready for the Boston Celtics on Friday.

In what amounted to a tune-up, the Cavaliers buried the
Charlotte Bobcats, 111-81, on Wednesday night and improved to
18-0 at home.

"We never look past the next opponent no matter who we're going
against," James said. "Our intensity (at home) has been really
hot."

Widely considered two of the top contenders to represent the
Eastern Conference in the Finals next June, the Cavs and Celtics
will face off for the second time this season on Friday.

"For me to say it's just another game, I'd be lying to you,"
James said.

The Bobcats were coming off a 114-106 overtime win over the
Celtics on Monday in Charlotte but were never in contention in
this one.

The tone was set early, as the Cavaliers were never threatened
as they improved to 18-0 at home. The final seconds of the
first quarter not only closed out a dominant opening 12 minutes
but epitomized the way things went for the duration of the game.

With James playing for the last shot, he lost his balance around
the perimeter and had to chuck up an off-balance jumper with
four hands in face. But the shot went right through, extending
Cleveland's advantage to 29-12. It was easy work from there.

"The exciting part about it was we got into the lane," Cleveland
coach Mike Brown said. The Cavaliers scored 54 points in the
paint.

James scored 15 of his 21 points in the first quarter and the
Cavaliers built a 43-14 lead early in the second. He also had
four rebounds and four assists in 31 minutes and did not play in
the fourth quarter.

Six Cavs scored in double figures, with Mo Williams, Daniel
Gibson and Wally Szczerbiak each dropping in 15 points.

"We have been feeling (there is a target on our back) for the
last 10 or 12 games," Williams said.

The Cavaliers seemed to have an extra gear after losing on
Sunday at Washington 80-77, shooting 60 percent (45-of-75) from
the floor while holding the Bobcats to just 39 percent
(29-of-74) shooting.

"We're No. 1 (in the Eastern Conference) and that's where we
want to stay," Williams said.

A bizarre ending to the first half had Charlotte's Juwan Howard,
who was on the bench at the time, ejected with 16.4 seconds
left. Then, with 4.2 seconds to go, the Cavaliers were tagged
with back-to-back delay-of-game technical fouls.

Charlotte trailed, 60-42, at the half and whittled its deficit
to 62-46 before the Cavaliers exploded on a 14-2 run to regain
full control, taking a 76-48 advantage with 4:57 left in the
third quarter.